Fragrances -Boucheron - B de Boucheron 
awesomeness2 10/9/2011 9:35:00 AM
I've tried most of the Boucheron femmes and haven't liked a single one. B is different, perhaps because it's easy-to-wear & accessible yet luxurious & high quality. B de Boucheron is a well-constructed, high quality scent that could be a signature for the right wearer. It's quite lovely, with a peachy-apricot top, a bit of sweetness & spice throughout, and a woody-patchy base. It's rich, lush & sweet, along the lines of the original Badgley Mischka but not quite as taffeta-gown formal as BM. It's also similar to John Varvatos for Women, and it's not quite as austere and difficult to wear as Lancome Tresor. I've seen this fragrance classified as a floral woody musk, but I think it's best classified as a woody. The apricot and osmanthus are spot-on for the current trend in fragrance. The florals (rose, orange blossom) & spices (pink pepper) are so well-blended that I struggle to pick them out individually, although I know they are there. However, the base (sweet woods & patch) and the apricot really define the scent. Initially I thought the cedar was just a tad too dominant for me, but now I have grown to love it. B de Boucheron is a 5* fragrance. I enjoy wearing it and am delighted to have it. I find it neither casual nor elegant. Instead, it simply is well-done & easy-to-wear. I know many perfumistas would find this scent to tread well-worn territory, perhaps consider it a bore. However, for me, B is something that I reach for over and over again. It is so much better than 95% of the stuff in the mass market, and it's available at an excellent price to boot. Nice projection, even from top to bottom, and lasts 6-8 hours on me. The quality of the ingredients seems to be top-shelf. B de Boucheron is a staple in my fragrance wardrobe. Currently, it's among my top 10 scents - that's saying a lot from someone who owns about 100 bottles and has sampled over 1000 scents! It's so me, but better. If you like peachy-apricot fragrances, this is a must-try. It reminds me of John Varvatos but not as sweet, Badgley Mischka but not as fruity, and Tresor but softer & rounder & deeper. I love those fragrances but I love B even more. B "won" on a side-by-side test with each. Notes: cedar, patchouli, osmanthus, apricot, spices, rose, orange blossom
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -mark - Kissink Lip Tintmarker
awesomeness2 10/1/2011 4:45:00 PM
Do not fear the red - "Red Siren." I ordered the berry, and it was a bit too bold and pink for me. On the other hand, the red is a soft & muted natural red. I don't wear red lipstick, but I use this tint - by itself or as a base. This lip stain beats L'Oreal or Covergirl, both of which are inferior products imo. The only stain that I've found to be better is the Bourjois lip pen in Framboise (Strawberry), which sadly is discontinued and hard to find. The Bourjois was available at Sephora and Sephora has yet to stock a product that is comparable in color & lasting ability at the Bourjois price ($15ish). A word of warning - I believe the Kissink products are discontinued ... or about to be. There is very limited availability at Avon. I just stocked up on Red Siren so that I wouldn't be without ... learned my lesson with Bourjois. So, if you like this tint, run to Avon and buy some ... before they are all gone. Regularly $6.99, currently $2.99. Run!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Bourjois - Lip Stain Pen
awesomeness2 10/1/2011 4:31:00 PM
The best lip stain that I have found for me & have yet to find a suitable, affordable replacement. I used Strawberry (framboise), I think #1. So sad that it's discontinued. It was a bit drying but the color stayed all day. Sephora has yet to stock a product as good as this one.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Royal Secret II by Five Star Fragrance Co.
awesomeness2 10/1/2011 2:57:00 PM
Royal Secret II is a wonderful creamy & powdery oriental, with cinnamon & vanilla. It's a lot like Coco but softer, more modern, more powder. It's also alot like Boudoir but without rose and dirty panties. RSII is just about perfect for me, and but sadly it has become difficult to find. Once available for about $15 a bottle, now it's easily three times that. If you like powdery fragrances like I do, definitely give this one a try.
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Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Musc Ravageur
awesomeness2 10/1/2011 9:17:00 AM
Wow. Musc Rave is a purring kitty ... animalistic, somewhat dirty musk. I'm all for a good perfume skank-fest once & awhile, but even Musc Rave is a bit too much for me. I know there are other notes in this, but all I get is musk, a sweetish musk ... kitty musk, if you know what I mean. Agent Provocateur, yes. Boudoir, yes. Tabu, yes. Musc Rave, no. I have a small (5ml) decant, and let me tell you - that will last me 10 years. Try this before you buy this, even if you like musks.
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Fragrances -Coty - Emeraude
awesomeness2 9/26/2011 6:56:00 PM
This is fun to have if you can find a sufficiently old bottle for very little money. I have a bottle from the 60s and another one from the 70s. Both are very good, but you can tell that the fragrance became less fierce between those two time frames. If you're unsure of the approximate age of your bottle, google images for Emeraude and find magazine print ads that have a picture of the bottle. Once you find a print ad with the bottle, you can find magazine with the year published. Basically, old Emeraude is a Shalimar-like fragrance. In fact, for my 60s bottle, I actually like Emeraude more than Shalimar because I find it lighter and easier to wear. Yet both fragrances pack a punch and can come off a bit dated and dusty.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights
awesomeness2 9/22/2011 2:34:00 PM
I tried Fancy Nights on the recommendation of some fellow fumies, and they were right. I am both surprised & impressed by this fragrance. It is much better than it needs to be. Fancy Nights is wonderfully dark patchouli-vanilla that's relatively simple, a bit sweet, and just on the femme side of unisex. Would make a great fragrance for a rocker-chick or anyone who likes fragrances slightly gothic. In fact, Fancy Nights is much more rocker-chick than Vivienne Westwood's Let It Rock and much more gothic than Loree Rodkin's Gothic I, both of which I own. Those who are expecting this scent to be like Fancy, or any other sugar-laden confection in the mass market, are sure to be disappointed by Fancy Nights. Good thing too, because now this fragrance can be yours for a song. I might just get me another bottle ...
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -By Kilian - Back to Black
awesomeness2 9/22/2011 1:21:00 PM
Absolutely incredible fragrance! I just adore this slightly fruity, slighty sweet tobacco scent, which I received in a Kilian sample pack. It's a dark fragrance which is perfect for evenings and fall wear. Definitely NOT in the mold of mass market fragrances or in the mold of modern rose (of which Kilian's Dangerous Liaisons is one). Back to Black just shot to the top of my full-bottle wishlist, and maybe Santa will get it for me this year. Until then, I am wearing JDP's In Black which a cherry-tobacco fragrance that is similar to Back to Black. Although the JDP is not as good as the Kilian, it's only about 1/10 of the price.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Borghese - Patina Pearl B130
awesomeness2 9/21/2011 6:53:00 PM
Oh boy. Is this ever sheer, really sheer, sheer-sheer. I only wear light & soft colors in opals or sheers, preferably both. I found this even product even too soft & too sheer for my taste. That said, if you looking for a low maintenance polish with just a hint-of-color, this is a great choice. However, in this family of colors (sheer pearls), I much prefer Opi's "I'm a Princess and You're Not." The Opi's are also better quality lacquers, as the Borghese tend to take a long time to dry - especially this one, which remains soft, failing to dry to the touch after two thin coats. Dry time is far far too long. However, I love the Borghese brush. I picked up this color for $1 + s/h on fleabay. Even so, I won't buy again.
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Fragrances -Tova - Ambre D'oro
awesomeness2 9/20/2011 8:30:00 PM
Call me silly, but for a fragrance called AMBER D'ORO (GOLD AMBER), I was expecting an amber-based oriental with golden references & overtones. Silly me. AMBRE D'ORO is a dreadful little white floral that could be an Ellen Tracy flanker. Actually, that would be an insult to Ellen Tracy flankers. Run away, far, far away.
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Fragrances -Frederic Malle - Une Rose
awesomeness2 9/17/2011 2:34:00 PM
This is a stunningly beautiful fragrance. I enjoy the transparent woody roses that pervade the market today, and I think Une Rose (One Rose) is among the best. However, for the price, I'm not so sure it's worth the purchase. I prefer my roses a little more complex, like Guerlain Nahema, or a little dirty, like Agent Provocateur. Une Rose is just a bit too clean, too prim, too perfect for me to love. If you like roses, want to smell like roses, or just one rose, definitely try this ... provided you're willing to shell out $200 for 50ml in the US (Barneys). If you don't like to drop that kind of cash, pick up Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose or Demeter's Vintage Naturals Rosebush, layer it with something a bit woody, and just pretend.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - baby phat fabulosity
awesomeness2 9/5/2011 3:21:00 PM
Fabulousity is an over-the-top fruity, sweet vanilla fragrance. I get berries & plum on top before it settles down to a sweet, candy-like vanilla with very-average, everyday florals. There are plenty of fragrances in this style on the market, but I would say that Fabulousity is among the better ones. It reminds me of Ungaro's Apparition and Givenchy's Hot Couture #1. Since I own both of those, I won't be adding Fabulousity to my collection.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Tennis Corset
awesomeness2 9/3/2011 7:18:00 PM
I like neutral, sheer polishes because they are easy to maintain (and don't show wear easily), yet I don't mind a bit of bling. Essie Tennis Corset fits the bill. It's an ivory white sheer with a pink undertone and a bit of gold sparkle. It would look fabulous with french manicure. On my natural nails, I use 2-3 coats over a base, plus a top coat. I get about 5 days out of my manicure ... if I am lucky. Like most Essie products, this one could use some improvement with the brush (could be wider) and with the polish (not as long lasting as others, is thin, often pools). I doubt I'd rebuy as there are a number of Opi products & colors which I like better.
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Fragrances -Van Cleef & Arpels - Van Cleef
awesomeness2 9/3/2011 7:07:00 PM
Van Cleef is a beautiful, warm blend that's just perfect for Fall days. It has a bit of a green thing going on at top, which I was looking for, and I purchased VC blind based on reviews at a fragrance website. Some of the reviews below are not for Van Cleef, but for other VCA scents such as Oriens. I'm also perplexed by the references to this fragrance as a fruity-floral or as a sweet vanilla. It's not. It's a floriental. Van Cleef was created in 1993 and is in bottle pictured here. It reminds me a bit of Safari, which I admire but can not wear (something irritating about it). It also reminds me of Guepard due to the marigold, but VC's florals are not as sharp & spicy and VC is much better quality. As it dries, VC feels like a vanilla- & tonka- based floriental. A benzion accord is very noticeable and very dominant. VC seems much older than its 1993 creation date, yet does not feel dated to me, if that makes sense. This is a fragrance for those who like & appreciate old-school perfumery but don't want to smell like it. T I have difficulty wearing most green florals. Not so with VC. I think I just might have found my perfect green floral, which isn't classified as a green floral at all! :D Classification: Floriental Top notes: Raspberry, galbanum, neroli, marigold, bergamot Middle notes: Orange blossom, jasmine, rose, geranium Base notes: Sandalwood, tonka bean, musk, vanilla, cedar
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Polishes -Zoya - Angella
awesomeness2 8/22/2011 9:21:00 PM
Love the color, hate the polish. Angella is a very nice sheer opalescent. Very sheer. Very very sheer. I told you it was a sheer opalescent, right? I like that but I imagine there are many others who don't care for it. I recently acquired a number of Zoya polishes. Although I like the colors, the polish itself tends to be thin & a bit runny. As a result it can pool around the cuticles. The brushes are not very wide either. It also chips & nicks easily without a top coat. Overall, I much prefer Opi, even if it is a buck or two higher. I've got a few Opi colors like this which apply better and last longer. I just don't recommend Zoya.
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